


I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change

by dmichelle312



Series: Pokemon fanfics [7]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: And I might not like the official name, Because I haven't seen the official name anywhere yet, Bede and Hop are 18, Bigotry & Prejudice, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dark-type Pokemon, Dark-type users, Diary/Journal, Everyone is of age, F/M, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Feels, Forgiveness, Gloria is 18, Goths, Grounding, Guilt, Healing, I Made Myself Cry, I Ship It, I will add a tag with the name of the ship when I come up with a good name for that ship, I will go down with those ships, I'm Canadian so I didn't bother with British slang, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, In which case I will come up with my own name for that ship, Insecurity, Kidnapping, Kissing, LLF Comment Project, M/M, Men Crying, Mother-Son Relationship, Nightmares, Oleana is 39, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Past Character Death, Past Child Abandonment, Past Child Abuse, Past Child Neglect, Piers is 21, Post-Pokemon Sword & Shield, Psychic-type users, Redemption, Romance, Rose is 40, Slow Burn, Steel-type users, Tags May Change, The Gym Leaders and Leon are in their early twenties, The past character death is Opal, Therapist Piers, Therapy, Therapy pokemon, This takes place nearly five years after the events of Sword & Shield, Victor and Marnie are 18, deep breathing, mental health, so many feels, yes i did
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 11:01:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22968904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dmichelle312/pseuds/dmichelle312
Summary: You can only hold the pain inside for so long before it all comes boiling to the surface. The road to healing is a rough one, but a necessary one all the same.
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Hop, Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Mary | Marnie/Masaru | Victor, Nezu | Piers/Yuuri | Gloria, Olive | Oleana/Rose | Chairman Rose
Series: Pokemon fanfics [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1200130
Comments: 13
Kudos: 11
Collections: (Pokemon) Other, (Pokemon) Piers/Gloria, Redemption arcs





	I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aukai_771](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aukai_771/gifts), [Alkaline6022](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alkaline6022/gifts), [Irhaboggles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irhaboggles/gifts), [Erin Silverlight-Rey (SilverMillennium_QueenNeptune)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMillennium_QueenNeptune/gifts).



> I headcanon that during the events of the Sword & Shield games, Gloria was 14 (so were Victor, Marnie, Hop and Bede who all started their Gym Challenge at roughly the same time) and Piers was 17. Most of my stories will take place at least four years after the events of the games, so yeah in this one Gloria is 18 and Piers is 21, they are both of age and they can date each other. Apart from the 7th gen protags, we are never told how old the main protags of each game are, it's up to interpretation and there are different headcanons depending on the fanfiction writer. If you think Marnie couldn't be 14 during the events of the games, let me tell you that some people think she was actually 16 (I read posts online made by people who think she was 16 during the events of the games). We all have different interpretations and headcanons. This is my headcanon. Also, it's obvious to me that the main protags of BW2 (who look 15-16 in the BW2 games and even around that age in the Pokemon Adventures manga) and Swsh (who look 14-15) are teenagers and not children and that they are older protags (which I really like).
> 
> Check out the tags if you want to know how old the other characters (Rose, Oleana, the Gym Leaders, Leon, etc) are in my headcanon.
> 
> The names I gave to those characters' Pokemon are the nicknames I give to my own Pokemon in my W1, W2, Moon, and Ultra Sun. Nicknames are important to me, I could never train or battle with Pokemon who aren't nicknamed as that would feel too impersonal. Also calling your Pikachu Pikachu and your Salamence Salamence make as much sense as calling your cat cat or your fox fox or your mother human. As far as I'm concerned, the only people who don't nickname their Pokemon are people who are lazy and who aren't serious about Pokemon training and developing a closer bond with their Pokemon. Masuda himself makes a strong point. “Please, give them nicknames,” he says. “You wouldn’t call your cat or dog ‘Cat,’ ‘Dog.’”
> 
> I agree with this OP:
> 
> https://www.polygon.com/pokemon/2018/9/25/17896848/pokemon-nicknames-red-blue
> 
> Please read the fanfics in my "My Sword & Shield headcanon" series in their chronological order, the story will make more sense to you if you do.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any of its characters.

Gloria and Piers were sitting in the kitchen and they had just finished eating dinner. Gloria sighed with contentment.

"That was delicious", Gloria exclaimed.

"Thank you. I cooked with the herbs I bought at the market square. I know you love my cooking, but it's even better with herbs, don't you think?", Piers said.

"Yes, it's good and different. I like it", Gloria replied.

Piers smiled.

"I used Oregano, Rosemary and Thyme, and after I roasted the Tamato berries, I added Basil, I also added salt, pepper and red wine vinegar. That's how I made my Tamato sauce", he said.

"Yeah, we had a good meal, that was some lasagna. How about getting some dessert? We could if you want to. Maybe some ice cream or some cake or...", she started.

"I made dessert too", he interjected.

"You enjoy cooking, don't you?", she asked.

"Yes, I love cooking and I especially love cooking for you, sweetheart!", he replied.

She kissed him and he returned the kiss.

"You just wait till you try my dessert. I tested it and it tastes great", he added.

"I need to use the bathroom. I'll be back in a minute", she said.

"Take your time. I'm not in a hurry", he replied.

As Gloria left the bathroom and was about to make her way back to the kitchen, she heard someone screaming and crying. She joined Piers in the hall and her eyes widened.

"What was that?", she asked.

"Rose. He must have tried to get some rest and had nightmares again", he replied.

She followed him. First he went to his room and grabbed a Pokeball, then he walked across the hall until they reached another room, one of many rooms in the building. He knocked on the door.

"Can I come in?", Piers asked.

"Yes", replied a quavering voice on the other side of the door.

Piers and Gloria walked in. The former chairman, Rose, was sitting on his bed. He looked stressed out and sad at the same time and he just kept staring out the window.

"Rose?", Piers said.

The former chairman turned to him and Piers saw the tiredness in his green eyes and the stress in his shoulders.

"Yes?", Rose replied.

"Nightmares again?", Piers said.

Rose nodded.

"I've got something for you and it might help you with the stress and the nightmares", Piers said.

Rose raised an eyebrow and looked at Piers curiously.

Piers took the Pokeball he had retrieved from his own room. He released the Pokemon from the Premier Ball and out came a navy blue and white Pokemon. It was a female Indeedee.

"Meet your therapy Pokemon. Her name is Kyrie", Piers said.

The Pokemon hugged Rose and the former chairman immediately felt calmer and more relaxed.

"Thank you", Rose replied.

Piers nodded. Then he picked up his phone and made a call.

"Jake? Can you bring me another journal and pen, please? It's for one of our "patients". Yes, you'll find me in Rose's room. If something happens and you're busy, send Dylan, Riley or Eddie. I'll see you then", Piers said.

Piers turned to Rose.

"I'm going to give you another journal and pen. Keep writing. It's good. I've read about journal therapy and it's something that helped many people. So I will continue to assign you journal writing prompts for homework", Piers added.

Rose nodded.

"You remember the grounding and deep breathing exercises I taught you?", Piers asked.

"Yes", Rose replied.

"It helps, doesn't it?", Piers said.

"Most of the time it does, but sometimes it doesn't. I still have nightmares and anxiety attacks", Rose replied.

"Of course you do. It's not something that disappears over night. But the frequency of these attacks has decreased since you started doing those grounding and deep breathing exercises, right?", Piers said.

"Yes, indeed", Rose replied.

"That's good. We're making some progress", Piers said.

"I hope so", Rose replied.

Gloria saw a hint of sadness and guilt in Rose's eyes and a haunted look on his face. The sadness in his eyes intensified. His eyes met Piers'.

"How is Bede?", Rose asked.

"He's making progress too, but he still struggles, just like you", Piers replied.

"Do you think he's gonna be okay?", Rose asked.

His voice broke down to a hoarse whisper as he choked out the last words. Piers gave him a compassionate look.

"I think he will be. Also, he's not alone anymore and that helps even more", Piers replied softly.

"He was alone before. Whose fault is that?", Rose said, his voice dripping with venom, anger and self-loathing.

For a moment the former chairman stared at the wall with empty eyes, fresh tears running down his cheeks.

Jake gave Piers the journal and pen and left, closing the door behind him to maintain their privacy.

"Rose, listen. I'm going to give you another journal writing prompt for homework. This one is going to be "The thing I am the most worried about is..." or "I have trouble sleeping when...". And here is another one, write a letter to your son about various issues you're experiencing", Piers said.

"He is not my son", Rose said, with a sad look in his eyes.

"Of course he is", Piers replied.

"No. Ask him. He would rather die than speak to me", Rose said.

"These things take time, Rose", Piers replied.

"It's been nearly five years, Piers. Don't be delusional and don't give me false hope that anything can ever be right between us again", Rose said.

"Rose, listen to me. Don't lose hope. Trust me, trust him, trust yourself, trust the process, trust that things will work out in the end. Things will get better, Rose. If you can truly start to see this DURING your times of struggle and uncertainty, you won't need to wait for your blessing to feel good", Piers replied.

"How do you know things will change after nearly five years?", Rose said.

"Because you are not alone. None of you are. There are people willing to help you and the others atone for your past wrongs and mend your relationships", Piers explained.

Rose pondered that for a minute then nodded and looked at Piers with a spark of hope in his eyes. Kyrie smiled and gave Rose another comforting hug. The former chairman looked at both of them with gratitude in his eyes.

"One last thing. Did you have dinner?", Piers asked.

"No. Not yet", Rose replied.

"I'll send Riley. It won't be long. Of course, your food will be cut for you and you will be given a plastic fork. When you are suicidal, and it might happen since you're having a bad day and you have self-harmed and made suicide attempts in the past, your mindset doesn't work properly and I don't want to risk you harming yourself again", Piers said softly.

"I understand", Rose replied.

The former chairman turned to the former Champion.

"Gloria. How long has it been? Four years? And I've heard that you quit being the Champion after four years. I can understand why you quit and passed the torch to someone else. Just like I can understand why some people choose not to relinquish their Champion title. Also, I've heard that you and Piers are dating and...", Rose started.

"Married", Gloria interrupted.

"What?", he asked.

"Piers and I are married, as in I'm his wife. We got married three months ago. And his sister, Marnie, married Victor.", she replied.

"Congratulations", he said.

"Hop and I were supposed to come here with Piers just after the holidays and help people here as best we can, but I've been delayed because relatives of mine needed me to take care of them when they were sick. But here I am now", she replied.

"That's good. Have you been doing well since I last saw you?", Rose asked.

"I'm doing as well as one can do. Also, teaming up together to ruin your plans brought us closer and I'm glad Victor and I found our soul mates", she said.

"At least, and for what it's worth, my stupid plan brought people closer together and something good came out of this after it spectacularly backfired. I'm sorry, though. The method I tried to use to save Galar from an energy crisis was not a good solution and ended up endangering all of Galar instead", Rose said. 

Gloria nodded. When she saw the anger, shame and self-loathing in his eyes, she repeated Piers' words about how things will eventually get better and his family will be returned to him. He gave her a look of gratitude and once again thanked all three of them.

"You will find healing, Rose. It's only a matter of time. You can only hold the pain inside for so long before it all comes boiling to the surface. The road to healing is a rough one, but a necessary one all the same", she told him.

Piers' phone rang and he picked up the call.

"I really must go now, Rose. It seems there's an emergency", Piers said.

"It's him, isn't it? I know it's him. What is it going to be this time? Exhaustion? A panic attack? Bouts of depression? Please, Piers, whatever he's going through at the moment, please help him", Rose said.

"I will, Rose. You have my word. I'm gonna leave now. Try to rest, okay? I'll see you later", Piers replied.

Piers saw Riley in the hall and asked him to bring Rose his dinner and gave him instructions about the plates, cuttlery and glasses. Then he left with Gloria. When they walked into the hall they were met by Hop who looked scared and panicked.

"Piers! Gloria! It's Bede and it's bad! I don't know what to do! Please, help him!", Hop said.

* * *

When they entered the room, Bede was curled into a ball on the floor, shaking and gasping for air.

"Can't breathe", he said.

Piers crouched and looked at him.

"Bede, you're having a panic attack", Piers said.

"You want a medal, genius?", Bede replied in a cold, sardonic tone.

"Bede, Piers is trying to help", Hop said softly.

"Well, who ask him? And spare me your concern, Mr. soon-to-be-Professor. You will not be around for much longer anyway", Bede replied.

"I'm the one who asked Piers to help you. Also, I'm not going anywhere. I promise you, Bede", Hop said.

Bede laughed.

"Right. That's what they all say, just before they backstab you or laugh at you, or even better, disown you", Bede replied, spitting the word "disown" with venom.

Hop glanced at him with a mixture of affection and concern. Piers noticing the look in his eyes smiled briefly. Bede tried to get up, but he felt dizzy, he gasped for air again.

"Bede, I don't think you should try to get up yet", Piers said.

Bede clenched his fists.

"You! Don't you freaking dare to tell me what to do. No one tell me what to do. I'll show you. You just wait", Bede replied.

"Bede, calm down, you will make things worse for yourself", Piers added.

"I like you, Bede, so I'm not going anywhere", Hop said.

"What?!", Bede shouted, choking, with a dark blush on his face.

He tried to look away, but caught the smile on Piers' face. Enraged, he charged at Piers. Piers released his Malamar from his Pokeball.

"You need to calm down, you'll hyperventilate", Piers said to the young man.

Then Piers turned to his Pokemon friend.

"Tamaki, help him calm down, please", Piers said.

Tamaki flashed the pattern on his torso and Bede gazed at his luminescent spots. The young man was in a state of hypnosis.

"Bede, listen to me. You're having a panic attack, but you're gonna be okay. Relax and follow my breathing", Piers said.

Hop breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes, Bede. You're doing well. Follow my breathing, try to match your breaths to mine. Breathe in, hold, and out. In through your nose, two, three, four and five. Hold, and out through your mouth, two, three, four and five. That's it, Bede. You're doing great. One more time, Bede", Piers added.

Bede was calmer and breathing normally. He snapped out of his state of hypnosis and looked at Piers.

"Do you want to talk about it?", Piers asked.

"Not in front of them", Bede replied.

"I can ask them to leave. Whatever makes you comfortable", Piers said.

Bede ran a hand through his platinum blond hair and his purple eyes furrowed into worry. He thought about it for a moment, then nodded.

"Tell them to leave. Except for him. He insist he's not going anywhere, so he can stay. I don't mind", Bede replied, pointing at Hop.

They all waited outside except for Hop.

"Just give me a sec, okay, Bede? I have to make a quick phone call. There's something I want to give you. I'll ask Dylan to bring it, okay?", Piers said.

Bede just nodded.

"Dylan? Please, bring the therapy Pokemon we all trained together for Bede. Thank you", Piers said.

The goth young man put his Rotom phone down and turned to Bede.

"It shouldn't be long now", Piers added.

A short moment later, Dylan came, gave Piers a Pokeball, and left. Piers released the Pokemon from the Luxury Ball. It was a male Espeon.

"Meet your therapy Pokemon. His name is Sunny. The Espeon is a psychic-type and you are a Psychic-type trainer. You will be friends in no time, I am sure", Piers said.

Sunny tackled Bede to the ground and affectionately licked him on his face.

"Stop", Bede said.

Bede got back up.

"Don't do that", Bede added.

But both Piers and Sunny could see the spark of affection in his eyes as he patted the Espeon on the head. Bede turned to Piers.

"Thank you", Bede said.

"You're welcome", Piers said.

The goth young man picked up a journal and pen.

"Ah. I almost forgot. I'll have to thank Dylan for this later. Do you need a new journal, Bede?", Piers said.

"Yes, I need a new journal because the one I have at the moment is full", Bede replied.

"Here. Take this one. And keep the pen too. It's a good thing to keep a second pen in case you run out of ink during the night", Piers said.

Bede nodded. Piers taught him some additional deep breathing exercises. Hop who wanted to help Bede as best he could paid close attention to the exercises Piers was teaching Bede.

"Now Bede, I'm going to give you another journal writing prompt. This one is going to be "The thing I am most worried about is..." or "I have trouble sleeping when...". And here is another one, write a letter to your father about various issues you're experiencing", Piers added.

"He is not my father", Bede said, with a sad look in his eyes.

"Of course he is", Piers replied.

"No. Ask him. He would rather die than speak to me", Bede said.

"Things are going to get better, Bede. You'll see. Don't lose hope. You're not alone. None of you are. There are people who are willing to help the two of you, starting with me. Things are going to get better, I promise, I'll personally see to it", Piers replied.

Hop looked at Piers, then at Bede, then back at Piers again. Piers was trying to help those people work on their issues, he was also trying to help them fix their wrongs and redeem themselves. Rose, Oleana, Bede, Sordward and Shielbert were lucky to have someone like Piers helping them. Not everyone across the world was this lucky. Hop resolved to find a way to properly thank him later, although he didn't know what could measure up to Piers resolving to help these suffering souls.

"Piers, are you all right?", Bede asked, a little worried.

Hop turned to Piers and gasped. The goth young man with a heart of gold was leaning against the wall and looked exhausted.

"You look so tired", Bede said.

"So do you. I think we both need some rest", Piers replied.

"Right now you two need some sleep", Hop said.

"I agree", Bede replied.

Piers nodded.

"Piers, I'll go get Gloria for you. I won't be long, okay?", Hop said.

The goth young man nodded again.

"While you're at it, Hop, see to it that Bede eat something when he wake up. I'm not sure he's had anything to eat for dinner. I'm sorry, Hop, usually I don't mess up like this", Piers said.

"Hey, it happens to the best of us, okay? Also, you're doing everything you can. You have done so much for them already and you will continue to do so. We will be there to help you. Gloria and I are proud of you. Don't be so hard on yourself. And please get some sleep. Trust me, Piers, you won't be able to help anyone if you collapse from exhaustion. I'm gonna go get Gloria now", Hop said.

"Thank you, Hop", Piers said.

"No problem", Hop replied.

There was a spark of guilt in Bede's eyes when he saw just how tired Piers was. He felt a pang of sadness when he saw Piers like that.

"I'm sorry", Bede said.

"For what?", Piers asked.

Bede shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"For charging at you like that, and nearly hurting you. For being such an occasional mess. For not making things easier for you at times", Bede replied.

"Concerning the part where you charged at me and nearly hurt me, apology accepted. As for you being a mess, we all are, some of us more than others. Pretending otherwise is dishonest and not helpful. That's just the way it is, though that isn't to say that we can't get better or develop better coping skills, but no one should apologize for being real in a world where being real only gets you so far. Think about it for a while and we can discuss this next time. Okay?", Piers said.

Bede nodded.

"Thanks", Bede said.

"You're welcome", Piers replied.

Hop and Gloria came back in and Hop took Bede to his room while Gloria took Piers to his room.

"You need to get some sleep, Piers", Gloria said.

"I will. But no more than three or four hours of sleep for now. I don't want to mess my sleep patterns up. Also, I have three other "patients" to visit, and I have a concert tonight", Piers replied.

She nodded.

"Only a few hours", she said.

She laid in bed with him and held him while he slept.

Hop took Bede to his room.

"Can I come in?", Hop asked.

Eventually, Bede blew out a big sigh and then, to Hop's surprise, Bede nodded slowly. Bede looked up into Hop's eyes and nodded again.

"Yeah, you can come in", Bede said.

Bede brought a chair for Hop to sit on, and then he sat on his bed.

"When you went to get Gloria, I had a conversation with Piers", Bede said.

"How did it go?", Hop asked.

"I apologized for nearly hurting him", Bede replied.

"That's good, Bede. I'm proud of you", Hop said.

Normally, Bede would give him a smile, even a brief one. But this time, Hop only saw pain in Bede's eyes.

"You heard what he said before you left to get Gloria. He told me to write a letter to my f-fa... to Rose. He said that things will get better, that he will personally see to it, that I shouldn't lose hope", Bede added.

"I think he's right, Bede, and I think you should trust Piers", Hop replied.

"It's not that I don't trust Piers... It's just... It's been nearly five years, Hop. It's true that I've been hostile to Rose for a while because of how he treated me in the past, but it's been nearly five years now. I wanted things to get better. I wanted to patch things up with him. It's just... The one person I trusted disowned me, and he wasn't even there to see me prove myself as a talented trainer to a wider audience during the Champion Cup. But it's been five years, and even now I would gladly try to patch things up with him, given the opportunity", Bede said.

"I've seen him a couple of times. And I can tell you that he regret what he has done and he wishes he could get another chance. And Oleana? She too regret what she has done, how she treated you, and her missed opportunity to talk some sense into Rose. I saw it in her eyes. But they both have issues to work on, just like you and maybe they need some more time. Isn't it a good sign? A sign that they want to get better? That they want to patch things up with you and with each other? Don't lose hope, Bede. Trust Piers. Things will work out in the end", Hop replied.

"I just wanted to have a family. Two parents, even one would have been better than none. I just wanted to have some family you know", Bede said, his voice breaking down.

Hop hesitated just a moment before joining him on the bed and wrapping him in a comforting embrace.

"I know", Hop replied.

Hop held Bede tight against him as Bede sobbed into his shirt. Bede clutched that shirt into his fists and held unto Hop, needing to draw strength from Hop almost as much as he needed to draw it from his Pokemon. Bede was hurting. That much was obvious to Hop. Hop rubbed Bede's back as Bede sobbed, letting him cry his heart out. Hop kept his face next to Bede's, softly whispering that everything would be all right.

"You're tired, Bede. You should try to get some sleep. An additional three hours of sleep would do you much good", Hop said.

Bede let go of him and nodded.

"Hop... would you... would you... stay?", Bede asked.

Hop got up to sit on the chair, but Bede gently grabbed him by the wrist.

"No, I mean, would you lay down with me? Just hold me as I sleep. Nothing more, not yet anyway. I need some comfort and I find comfort in your arms", Bede said.

"Of course. Whatever you need, Bede", Hop replied.

Bede gave him a look of gratitude.

Hop laid down with Bede under the covers, Hop holding Bede in his arms. They fell asleep.

When they woke up four hours later, Hop remembered what Piers told him and he told Bede that he was going to talk to Riley and get him something to eat. Riley brought them food and Hop gave him a questioning look.

"Piers said Bede is doing better since you started coming here to visit his "patient". And it's true. Better sleep, less nightmares, eat more, he's been more happy. So Piers said you can take your meals here at no charge and eat with Bede. Our boss is a young man with a big heart and lots of smart. No wonder people here in Spikemuth respect him so much, trust him, and happily obey him. He's always looked out for us, had our best interests at heart, and lent a hand to those who needed it. And his sister, Marnie, is pretty good at looking after the Gym. Also, we're all happy for him that he's happily married. Gloria has done so much for Spikemuth and she bring joy to Piers' life, so we definitely like her and should something happen to her we would go to the ends of the world to get her back or to give her assistance", Riley said.

Hop nodded and gave him a look of gratitude. And Bede gave him a brief smile. Bede and Hop thanked Riley for the food and he left. Hop and Bede sat and ate together.

"When we're done eating, I'm going to get started on my journal writing prompts, including my letter to Rose. Wanna stay and help a little in case I fumble over my words?", Bede said.

"Of course, Bede. I'd be happy to help. Whatever you need", Hop replied.

Bede gave him a genuine smile.

* * *

When Piers and Gloria woke up, they freshened up and ate a little snack.

"I have three other "patients" to see", Piers said.

"Can I come with you?", Gloria asked.

"Of course you can. And you might be able to help", Piers replied.

They walked into a room and saw Oleana watching television. When she realized that she was not alone in the room, she turned the TV off and gave them her attention.

"I'm listening", she said.

"Oleana, how are you doing?", Piers asked.

He could see her wheels turning. No one had ever really cared about her, about what she wanted and needed. No one bothered to ask her how she was doing, people didn't care. The only one who cared was Rose. It still surprised her that Piers would kindly ask her how she was doing and genuinely meant it.

"I've been worse. I think I'm getting better. I'm not always doing better, but I've been worse. If you know what I mean", Oleana replied.

"I have a therapy Pokemon for you", he said.

He released a Pokemon from Dusk Ball. It was a male Riolu.

"Meet your therapy Pokemon. His name is Lucio. He can feel changes in aura energy, emotions, moods, etc. Having a therapy Pokemon might help you with things like stress, nightmares, panic attacks, depression. It might help and it can't hurt to try it", Piers added.

She had unshed tears in her eyes.

"Than you, Piers", she said.

He nodded and gave her the Dusk Ball.

"Do you need another journal?", Piers asked.

"Not yet", she replied.

"Now Oleana, I'm going to give you another journal writing prompt. This one is going to be "The thing I am most worried about is..." or "I have trouble sleeping when...". And here is another one, write a letter to Rose or Bede about various issues you're experiencing", Piers said.

For a moment she didn't say anything, but eventually she nodded, promised to complete the exercises and thanked Piers again.

"Well, I'll see you again soon, Oleana", Piers said before he left with Gloria.

She bowed her head and watched them leave. She sat back on the couch and watched the rest of the berry gardening TV program.

Gloria followed Piers to another room where Sordward and Shielbert were waiting for them. In fact, their real names were Edward and Albert, but people kept using their sobriquets and they were fine with that. Just like Oleana, the brothers were doing better but felt like there were things they still had to work on. Gloria handed Piers a Quick Ball and a Heal Ball. The Quick Ball contained a female Gossifleur and the Heal Ball contained a male Cinccino.

"Meet your therapy Pokemon. Thalia the Gossifleur and Silky the Cinccino. Having a therapy Pokemon might help you with things like stress, nightmares and depression", Piers told them.

He gave them the Pokeballs.

"Do you need another journal?", he asked.

They didn't need another one yet.

"Now Sordward and Shielbert, I'm going to give you another journal writing prompt. This one is going to be "The thing I am most worried about is..." or "I have trouble sleeping when...". And here is another one, write a letter to someone about various issues you're experiencing, it can be a relative or a friend", Piers added.

They nodded.

"Thank you", Sordward said.

Piers smiled.

"We'll find a way to repay you", Shielbert added.

"You owe me nothing", Piers replied.

"We beg to differ. You helped us when we needed it the most. You played an important part in our healing and rehabilitation. We are thankful for everything you have done for us and everything you have given us", Sordward said.

"Someday, you will need help with something. If something bad happens to you or Spikemuth, we'll be there and we'll help", Shielbert added.

Pier ran a hand through his black and white spiky hair, too moved to say anything.

"We appreciate it, thank you", Gloria replied.

Piers and Gloria were on their way to the kitchen to make some tea when they crossed path with Oleana.

"What is it, Oleana?", Piers asked.

Oleana was staring at her feet and wringing her hands, slightly shaking and Piers and Gloria could see that she was on the verge of tears.

"Can I, uh, can I talk to Rose, please?", she asked?

Her eyes met Piers' and he noticed that the determination he had seen earlier had been replaced with a mixture of pleading and desperation.

"Of course you can go talk to him. If he will receive you. Communication does help at times, in situations like this. I think it's gonna be just fine, Oleana", Piers replied.

She nodded at him, thanked him and left. Piers and Gloria were about to make tea when they heard someone banging on the door. The goth young man sighed.

"I think I know who that is. It was about time too. Better late than never, I guess. If the Gym Leaders had listened to their conscience sooner, we probably wouldn't be in this mess to begin with", Piers said.

"You blame them?", Gloria asked.

"They're partly responsible for this, yes. Had they not turned a blind eye, this tragedy could have been averted", Piers replied.

"I agree. They could've done something to help Rose and Oleana. And Bede deserve better. Also, they could have helped us with Sordward and Shielbert", Gloria said.

Piers nodded.

Someone banged on the door again. Piers opened the door and let them in. Standing in front of him were Milo, Nessa, Bea, Allister, Melony, Raihan and Leon. Piers told them to wait while he and Gloria went to get their journals, then he and Gloria left the room.

"Piers, did you notice that Raihan and Leon are holding hands?", Gloria said.

"Yeah", Piers replied.

"Did you know about this?", she asked.

Piers shrugged.

"Their attraction to each other was very obvious to me and it was clear to me they had more than friendly feelings for one another. About three months ago, I walked in on them as they were exchanging their first I love yous. I didn't say anything, it's not my place to tell. And now, they're holding hands in public. It's been nearly five years now, maybe more than that and who knows how long they've had romantic feelings for one another, maybe since they were teens on their Gym Challenge journey. And now, they're out, holding hands in public. Took them long enough. I wish them all the happiness in the world", Piers said with a smile.

Gloria returned his smile and nodded. Piers picked up the journals and Gloria the pens. As they were about to make their way back to the room where they left the others, they heard shouting and arguing and went in to discover a fight in progress.

"Hey! What's going on?", Piers asked.

Milo and Leon were holding Raihan back and Raihan was looking daggers at Rose who was holding a glass of water and shrinking away from Raihan.

"I said louder!", Raihan yelled.

"I'm sorry, Leon. I really am", Rose said, a mixture of sadness and anxiety filling his face.

"You should be! Do you have any idea how much damage you have caused to Leon when he was Champion? Did you even care about his needs or his health? He was not used to focussing on himself instead of others. Yeah, I figured. Makes sense too, since that's basically what his life has been since he became Champion. It's what you wanted for his public image, Galar's grand hero and all of that, right? Well, you bastard are not calling the shots anymore! Also, Leon has known you ever since he was ten! You were there when he became Champion and you helped him through everything, he trusted you and you betrayed his trust! You!", Raihan yelled.

"Raihan, please, calm down. We can discuss this calmly. But yelling and fighting is not going to help any of us, it's only going to make things worse", Piers said.

"He's right, Raihan, please listen to him", Leon added.

"So we just let him get away with what he did?", Raihan said angrily.

"His conscience torture him everyday. Isn't that punishment enough? He's already paying for his ill and abusive treatment of Eternatus, his attempt at exploiting the Pokemon and his energy to get richer and his poorly thought out attempt at averting an energy crisis that would happen in a thousand years from now instead of discussing solutions with the inhabitants of Galar and trusting that some of them will take the problem seriously. He's already paying for having kept his worries, concern and burdens to himself until it really took a toll on his mental health instead of sharing them with others. He's already paying for having disowned his son. He's already paying for having dragged Oleana into this. He's already paying for what he's put Leon through. He's been paying for nearly five years now and he's still paying to this day. He turned himself into Piers' custody willingly for help. What more do you want, Raihan? People aren't perfect. They make mistakes, they commit faults. Sometimes it's harder to forgive yourself than to get somebody else to do it", Gloria said.

Leon took Raihan's hand and intertwined their fingers.

"She's right, Raihan. Can we move on, please? Let's move forward into the future together and continue our new life with new purpose and new meaning, okay?", Leon added.

Raihan's shoulders sagged and he nodded slowly. He let Leon take him by the hand and pull him out of the room.

"We'll wait outside until things calm down a bit", Leon said to Piers.

Piers nodded in understanding.

Leon close the door behind him. But someone else got in, or rather a pair of someones. It was Marnie and Victor.

"Victor just got back, he went to visit his cousin", Marnie said.

She kissed her husband and he returned the kiss. Rose turned around and stared at his feet, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment, even though there were other people in the room.

"What's up?", Victor asked.

"I was about to give my new "patients" journals, pens and writing prompts", Piers replied.

"Wait. Did I miss something? Please, tell me how this happened", Victor asked.

Piers pointed at the Gym Leaders.

"They decided to listen to their conscience", Piers replied.

"Ah", Victor said.

Victor looked at the Gym Leaders.

"No therapy Pokemon?", he asked.

"Not yet. My friends who are former members of Team Yell and myself haven't yet had time to catch and train new therapy Pokemon. We will do that soon. But not right now. I have a concert tonight", Piers said.

"Piers, what if Marnie and I went to catch them and brought them here for you guys to train. I want to make a difference in the lives of these people for the better too. And you let me contribute in the not so distant past like when I caught Kyrie and brought her here for you guy to train", Victor said.

"Fair enough. Fine, you two can go to the Wild Area and look for the Pokemon who will become our new "patients'" therapy Pokemon. Just be careful", Piers replied.

The goth young man looked at the clock.

"I better get going. I can't be late to my concert. I'll see you all later", Piers said.

"I'll stay here and keep an eye on them. Is that all right with you?", Gloria asked.

He nodded, gave her an affectionate smile and kissed her on the lips. She returned the kiss. He waved her goodbye and left. She sat down and gave the Gym Leaders the same writing prompts as the other "patients".

* * *

Rose left the room and was about to return to return to his own room when he saw Raihan.

"Where are you going?", Raihan asked.

"I was going back to my room. I was hoping to continue working on that writing prompt Piers asked me to complete", Rose replied.

"I see", Raihan said.

"Where is everyone?", Rose asked.

"Gloria is in the kitchen, making hot chocolate. The Gym Leaders are hanging around in small groups, but I don't know where. Probably on this floor. Leon went to the bathroom", Raihan replied.

Without speaking a word, Raihan made a sign for Rose to follow him and walked to the kitchen for a cup of hot chocolate. They joined Gloria around the kitchen table.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. I shouldn't have. Gloria and Leon are right and Piers is definitely doing the right thing", Raihan said.

"And me, I'm sorry I hurt Bede and Leon and I'm sorry I kept my worries, concerns and burdens to myself until it really took a toll on my mental health instead of sharing them with others", Rose replied.

Gloria didn't say anything and just watched the exchange.

"It was partly our fault. We should've said something. We should have talked to you and tried to help you, kinda like Piers is helping you", Raihan said.

"How could you know?", Rose said in a broken voice.

"We didn't want to know. Our lack of caring is harming the most vulnerable people in our community and lead to tragedies like the one that took place nearly five years ago, a tragedy that could have destroyed the whole region, so I'm sorry I didn't say anything", Raihan replied bitterly.

Rose took a sip of his drink.

"Leon is right. We need to put this behind us and move on. We can't change the past, but we can avoid repeating the same mistakes and we can build a better future. That can only happen if we forgive each other and help one another. Also, it helps to take someone by the hand and walk the path of healing together with them. It certainly helped us, Leon and I", Raihan added.

At that moment, Bede walked into the kitchen hand in hand with Hop, both of them giggling. Obviously, they thought the kitchen was empty, they didn't expect to find anyone there and they wanted something to drink. When Bede saw Gloria and Raihan, but especially Rose, he stood there gapping at Rose in horror, he practically froze in place like a Deerling caught in the headlights. The words Bede wanted to say were caught in his throat and he knew that if he tried to speak, he would fumble over his words and none of it would be coherent. He dropped Hop's hand.

"I... I just remember that... I have a writing prompt to finish", Bede stammered.

Bede was about to leave when Rose stood up and held up his hands in a peaceful gesture.

"Can we talk, Bede? Please?", Rose said.

Bede was frozen on the spot and his legs refused to move. Hop took Bede's hand into his and pressed it reassuringly.

"It's okay. Go. It's gonna be all right. And I will be right here, if you want to hang out later. It's gonna be all right. Go", Hop said, stroking Bede's hand with his thumb.

Bede gently removed his hand from Hop's, nodded, walked to the door and made a sign for Rose to follow him. Rose looked at Raihan who nodded encouragingly.

"Go in peace and fix things with him", Raihan said.

"I'll be here if any of you need to talk", Gloria added.

"Thanks", Rose replied.

Raihan and Gloria nodded and Rose left with Bede as Leon joined Raihan and Gloria in the kitchen.

Rose and Bede went to another room. Oleana was there, working on her writing prompt. Some Pokemon program was playing on the TV at a low volume in the background.

"I didn't know there was someone in here", Bede said.

"Can she stay, Bede? I ask to include her in our conversation", Rose said.

"Sure. Whatever", Bede replied.

"Listen, Bede. I'm not asking you to forgive us now, all I ask is that you allow us to fix things with you", Rose said.

"Us? Who is...? Wait, you mean, you two...?", Bede started.

"Yes. We started building a love relationship. I think she's good for me. She makes me look at life differently. Makes me think about what matters. Piers, too, think she's good for me. And during most of my time in therapy, I've learned that it helps to take someone by the hand and walk the path of healing together with them. It certainly help us, Oleana and I", Rose replied.

"It was only a matter of time before you two ended up together. I should have seen this coming", Bede said.

"I could say the same thing about you and Hop. Except I did know. I knew way before you did that it wasn't a girl you would bring home and I couldn't help but notice how you looked at Hop", Rose replied.

"Is that the real reason as to why you fucking disowned me? Because I'm gay and because you feared what others might say if they find out that your adoptive son is gay?", Bede said.

"No, Bede. I don't judge people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. I could care less if you date women or men. No judgment on my part there. Whatever makes you happy is fine with me as long as you're careful and you don't hurt yourself or anyone else. The reason why I disowned you was because I was an idiot. Yes, you put me in a delicate situation when you destroyed that mural, but I could have sat down with you and we could have came up with solutions like fixing the damage, or a public apology and replacing the monument with another one that's just as important. I regret what I said and the way I treated you that day nearly five years ago. So does Oleana. Please give us a chance to fix things with you, will you?", Rose replied.

Bede turned to Oleana.

"And you, you have nothing to say? Why aren't you saying anything?", Bede asked.

"I'm truly sorry, Bede. I'm sorry I tricked you to destroy that mural. That's one of the most stupid mistakes I've ever made. Not a single day goes by where I don't regret what I've done and wish I could take it back. Please, give us a chance to fix things with you, will you?", Oleana replied.

"Why did you wait for almost five years to try and fix things with me?", Bede said.

Rose smiled apologetically.

"I thought I had to fix myself first before I could fix things with you or anyone else. And that's one of the most important thing I learned during my time in therapy, with Piers and his other "patients"", Rose replied.

Oleana nodded.

"I came to the same conclusions that Rose did", she added.

"You know, I'm not the child I was before, I'm eighteen now, and I'm a man. My lost childhood is forever gone. I can be successful, I can become strong, but I'll never get my childhood back. Since curling up in a ball and bemoaning my lost childhood is not really an option, I guess I'll have to go in a different direction. But all I ever wanted was to have parents and be in a loving family", Bede said, before crying silently. Rose and Oleana could no longer hold back their tears either and they flowed freely.

"I know Bede. But if you let me, I'd like to fix things with you. I know I can't make it up to you, but I will do my best to be the father you should've had from the beginning. I know you are grown up now, and you really don't need me as much anymore, but I still want to be there for you whenever I can, however I can. Okay? I mean, that is, if you'll let me", Rose replied.

"And I will do my best to be the mother you should've had from the beginning. I want to be there for you whenever I can, however I can. Okay? I mean, that, if you'll let me", Oleana added.

"Okay", Bede replied.

"Okay?", Rose said.

"Yes. I'll let you two fix things with me and I'll let you be my family", Bede replied.

They smiled kindly at him and he smiled in return. He hugged them and they hugged him back.

"Aww, it seems I got here just in time for a group hug", said Piers as he entered the room.

"Shuddup, Piers", Bede replied.

"You just got back?", Rose asked.

"Yes, and I can see that you three have started the process of fixing things between you. That's good", Piers replied, his eyes shinning with kindness.

They nodded.

"We're going to work on our writing prompt for a little while, before going to bed", Rose said.

"That's good", Piers replied.

Bede was writing on a piece of paper. When he was done, he gave the piece of paper to Piers.

"Can you please give this message to Hop for me? Oh and it's for him and him alone, got it?", Bede said.

"Yes, no problem", Piers replied.

"About the Gym Leaders...", Oleana started.

"They can't leave their duties and Gyms unnatended, but I had my friends who are former Team Yell members assign them rooms so when they need a break or need to get away for a little while or need help or just someone to talk to, they can come here and stay for a day or two once in a while, while their Gym trainees take over for a day or something. They've gone back home for now, but they said they'll be back soon, when they're done completing their writing prompts. They've all gone home now, there's only me and Gloria. There she is", Piers replied.

"Goodnight all", Gloria said.

The three of them wished her a good night and started working on their writing prompt.

"Gloria and I are going to bed. We need to catch some zzz's. I too wish you a good night", Piers added.

They nodded at him with a smile. Piers delivered Bede's message to Hop and then went to bed with Gloria.

Hop read the message.

"Hi Hop,

If you want to know how it went and you want to chat, come to my room in half an hour. I'll be in my room then, waiting for you.

Best regards,

Bede."

Hop smiled affectionately, put the letter in his pocket and went to the kitchen for a cup of tea. He asked his Rotom phone to tell him when the half hour was over.

* * *

They were all sitting in the kitchen, eating breakfast.

"I was thinking that maybe we could go camping in the Wild Area with our Pokemon today. Fresh air, nature and outdoor activities can be therapeutic too. We could cook curry and have dinner outside. What do you think?", Piers asked.

They all agreed that it was a good idea. They have Piers their writing prompts and showed him the letters he had told them to write. Then they left to prepare and pack whatever was needed for their camping trip in the Wild Area with the help of Jake, Dylan, Riley and Eddie. Gloria kissed Piers and he returned the kiss. He smile at her, his eyes shining with love.

"I'm going to go help them", Gloria said.

He jodded. After she left, he started going through the writing prompts.

"Sordward:

The thing I am most worried about is...

My brother and I suffering more abuse at the hands of our father. I will never forget how he beated us and straved us. My younger brother nearly died, I almost lost him. Mother couldn't do anything to help us. She was broken because of him and she was drowning her pain and fears in alcohol. I sometimes have a hard time sleeping at night because I feel guilty and I wish I had not left mother behind. But what could I possibly do? My brother and I barely escaped with our lives last time. And it's not like the cops are gonna do anything about it. From what I've heard, in like at least eight regions, Galar included, the cops are incompetent and leave it to kids to take on and defeat criminal organizations, like that criminal organization that nearly took over Galar twelve years ago. I only hope that Shielbert and I are gonna be okay and that father will never find us. I want to keep my younger brother safe, I'm pretty much all he has and I can't let anything happen to him."

"Shielbert:

I have trouble sleeping when...

I worry that father will find us, my older brother and I. I don't want to lose my brother, I don't want something bad to happen to Sordward. But at the same time, I don't want to live in fear and I don't want my brother to live in fear for the rest of his life either. Life is too short for that shit. I hope my brother and I will find some healing soon."

Piers inwardly cringed. No wonder Sordward and Shielbert isolated themselves, though he was happy that he managed to convince them to join the camping trip to the Wild Area. No wonder Sordward and Shielbert were messed up. He was glad they came to him for help, he was glad to see them make progress and he was seeing the beginning of healing. He was empathizing with their suffering and sorrow.

"Rose:

I have trouble sleeping when...

I think about how I treated my son. I screwed up. I revictimized him when I disowned him. He lost his parents and grew up in an orphanage. He must have felt lonely, isolated and unlovable. He most probably had trust issues. Some kids at the orphanage picked on him and bullied him, in that kind of environment it's survival of the fittest. So he learned to hide his emotions and show a facade of indifference and arrogance. He trusted me and I revictimized him. Not a single day goes by where I don't regret what I've done and wish I could take it back. I want to fix things with my son. He has agreed to let Oleana and I fix things with him. I want a family as much as he does. I also want to see him happy and I want him to have the family he should've had from the beginning."

Piers smiled. They definitely making progress and he was happy for Rose.

"Oleana:

I have trouble sleeping when...

I think about what I could've done for Rose and Bede and didn't. I should have tried to get him to open up to me about his worries and burdens, but I didn't. I put him up on a pedestal and viewed him as some sort of invincible super hero instead of a human being with struggles, worries, burdens and issues like the rest of us human beings. I guess I idolized him after he lifted me out of poverty by giving me this job and making sure I didn't lack anything. Before him, no one cared. He's one of the few who showed me kindness. It's thanks to him that I was able to work, get respect, and make friends, prove myself to others so to speak, an opportunity I had always wanted. I viewed him as above us all, an invincible super hero, when in fact I should've seen just how human he is. And to be honest, I love him even more now that I realize just how human he is. Bede has agreed to let Rose and I fix things with him. He wants a family, so do I. And obviously, that's also what Rose wants. I want to see them happy. And I want to seize this opportunity to be in a loving family. I'l looking forward to the good things the future has in store for all three of us."

Piers smiled and nodded.

"Bede:

I have trouble sleeping when...

I think about how I treated Hop and other nice people who meant no harm. Ever since Opal passed away, I have felt more lonely than ever before and I had to go to Piers for help after I nearly punched Hop. I don't want to hurt him and I don't want to be that kind of person. Hop reached out to me and showed me some kindness and I treated him badly. But he never gave up on me. I don'te xactly know what he saw in me, but he fell in love with me. I didn't think that someone could really love me, but Hop obviously does. He show his love for me everyday through his actions. We're building a love relationship and I'm walking the path of healing with him. The day we had our first kiss was the best day of my life. I'm glad he's in my life. I agreed to fix things with Rose and Oleana. I don't think I can call them dad and mom yet, but I can see that happen in the near future and for once, I can let myself hope for a better future."

Piers had tears in his eyes and he smiled. He was happy for them. And thinking about he helped make this happen warmed his heart. Piers saw an extra sheet and since he had just read all the writing prompts, he wondered what this was, so he started reading.

"Hi Piers,

Thank you so much for helping us fix ourselves, our lives, our relationships and our past wrongs. We are thankful for everything you have done for us. If there's something we can do for you and/or for Spikemuth don't hesitate. We would be glad to help. Also, we're definitely going to do something for your birthday next week.

With our affection,

Rose, Oleana, Bede, Sordward and Shielbert."

Piers' smile widened and he shed tears of joy.

"You're very welcome", he whispered.

They were in the Wild Area and pitching their tents. Piers smiled as he watched them play with their Pokemon. Gloria was playing with Masao, her male Pangoro, and Kaliska, her Mandibuzz. Marnie was playing with Kitia, her female Morpeko, and Marley, her female Scrafty. Rose was playing with Wisper, his female Perrserker, and Shira, his female Copperajah. Oleana watched them, smiling.

"Can I?", Bede asked.

"Of course. I think she won't mind if you pet her, she likes that", Rose replied.

Bede reached out and petted Shira's face. The Copperajah sighed with contentment.

Piers, Victor, Sordward and Shielbert were gathering the ingredients they had brought to cook dinner.

"There's spices here", said Piers.

"We also have a salad mix", Victor added.

"We have some sausages too", said Sordward.

"We have a pack of potatoes and some berries", added Shielbert.

Gloria hugged Piers and smiled.

"I'm going to strech my legs. I'll be back soon", Gloria said.

Piers returned her smile.

"Take your time", Piers said.

She walked away.

A moment later, they were ready to start dinner.

"I'll help. I'm going to wash the potatoes in the river and peel them", Rose said.

He was washing the potatoes in the river and putting them in a bowl when he heard screams of anguish. He dropped the bowl.

"Gloria?", he whispered.

A moment later he found Gloria, crying.

"Gloria! What's wrong? Are you injured?", Rose asked.

"They kidnapped my Umbreon. They took my Moonlight and I couldn't stop them", Gloria said in a broken voice.

"Come on, let me help you. Come with me, I'll take you back to Piers. Then you can tell us what happened and we can get your Pokemon back", Rose told her.

When they got back, Piers immediately noticed that something bad had happened.

"What happened?", Piers asked.

"She got attacked", Rose replied.

"Is she injured?", Piers asked.

"I don't think so. She might have a few minor scratches, but I think she's otherwise uninjured. She came back here with me on foot. If she had been injured, I would have asked Shira to carry her", Rose replied.

"Who did this?", Piers asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine, they were gone when I found her, but she says they kidnapped one of her Pokemon", Rose replied.

Gloria threw herself into Piers' arms and he hugged her.

"Gather the others, I think we all need to hear what she has to say", Piers said.

Rose nodded.

"Oh and Rose...?", Piers said.

"Yes?", Rose asked.

"Thank you for helping her", Piers said.

"I should be thanking you and Gloria. I don't know what I would have done without you two. I still don't get why you gave me a second chance after how I treated you and Spikemuth in general", Rose replied.

"Because I personally believe that you as well as the others can be reformed and rehabilitated. All five of you. I will continue to work with you, the five of you are worth the effort, time and energy. I want to see you all redeemed and healed", Piers softly replied.

The goth young man looked Rose in the eyes.

"And I want to see the brilliance that all five of you can give the world", Piers added with a smile.

Rose returned his smile, but his smile was one of gratitude. Rose was so thankful that Piers and Gloria believed in him and the others. He hadn't grown up with parents who demonstrated love or affection for one another let alone parents who believed in their son. He was aware that it had caused him issues at school and in his adult life, even though he had managed to become successful as a businessman and as the chairman of the Pokemon League. But he was determined to fix his life and heal, for himself, for Oleana, and for Bede, so they could be a family. Rose gathered the others like Piers asked and sat with them to hear what Gloria had to say.

"They kidnapped Moonlight, my male Umbreon. They were aggressive and bigoted. They called Dark-type Pokemon "evil" and said they're going to exterminate them. They're wearing shirts with a big "B" on the front. We have to stop them", Gloria said.

"And we will, but we're gonna have dinner first", Piers replied.

"What? But you heard what she said. They kidnapped her Pokemon and they want to harm other Pokemon. We must act now!", Hop said.

"We will act soon. But we'll be of no use to the Pokemon if we faint from hunger. We're gonna have dinner and then we will stop them. In the meantime, we need to come up with a plan", Piers replied.

"There's no need to wait. I can go there on my own and get her Pokemon back", Hop said, frustrated.

"Not again! As reckless as ever, Hop. You should start thinking about the consequences and impact your actions have on the people around you. Also, now is not the time to split up, we must stick together if we want to stop them with minimal damage", Piers replied.

Hop was about to protest again when Bede intertwined their fingers and pressed his hand to calm him down.

"He's right on this one, Hop. Deep down you know that. Help me finish the curry and eat a little, then we'll go stop those unsavory characters. Okay?", Bede said.

Hop nodded and walked away with Bede. Piers smiled.

A moment later, dinner was served, they ate and came up with a plan. Then they saw Piers walking towards them with worry all over his face.

"Gloria is gone. I don't know if she wandered off or if she was kidnapped too, but she's gone", Piers said, nearly in tears.

"We'll find your wife", Rose promised.

"We'll all help", Shielbert added.

"Where are we supposed to start searching?", Piers said.

"I know", said a stranger approaching them.

"Who are you?", Piers asked.

"That's not important. But I can tell you where they took your wife. Or at least, the odds of finding her there are very high", the stranger replied.

"Why are you telling us all this?", Piers asked.

"I think the battle will be interesting to watch. I'm bored at the moment and everyone knows that exciting things like battles are the spice of life. Personally, I'm rooting for you and your team. Just don't tell them that. You've never seen me and you've never heard of me. Get it?", the stranger said.

"Got it. Now please tell us where we can find her", Piers replied.

The stranger told them where they could find Gloria and walked away. Piers and the others prepared to leave and went in search of Gloria.

* * *

When they saw the building, Piers turned to the others.

"Marnie, Victor, Hop and Bede, you're coming with me, we'll search the lower floors. Rose, Oleana, Sordward and Shelbert, you search the upper floors. Is this all right with you?", Piers said.

They nodded.

"Please, find her", Piers added.

Piers left with Marnie, Victor, Hop and Bede. Rose, Oleana, Sordward and Shielbert searched the upper floor and eventually found Gloria. Her belt with her Pokeballs was gone and she had been locked up in a cell. She was peering at them through the bars.

"Rose? Is that you?", Gloria said.

"It's me. I'm here with Oleana, Sorward and Shielbert. Piers, Marnie, Victor, Hop and Bede are searching the lower floors. Don't worry, we'll retrieve your Pokemon, all of them", Rose replied.

They heard a whistling sound.

"That's Oleana, standing guard outside, warning us that the enemy is coming this way", Rose added.

Two young men entered the room.

"Well, well, looks like we have visitors. You're going to join your friend in the cell", one of them said.

"I don't think so. We're here to get our friend and her pokemon back and we're also going to stop you", Shielbert said.

"Listen guys, we can do this the easy way or the hard way", Sordward said.

When the two men released their Pokemon from their Pokeballs, Sordward shook his head with a sad look in his eyes.

"In this case, there's just the hard way. You choose this, guys", Sordward added.

Shielbert sent out Duke, his male Sirfetch'd and Sordward sent out Laerlocke, his male Doublade. While Sordward and Shielbert proceeded to battle and capture the two young men, Rose was going to break Gloria out of her cell.

"Gloria, get back. My Copperajah will tear the bars off the cell or break down the steel door. She will create an exit", Rose said.

Gloria nodded and stayed at the back of the cell. Rose released his Copperajah from his Pokeball.

"Shira, my girl, help us get Gloria out of her cell, please", Rose said, petting her face.

Shira wrapped her massive trunk around the bars and pulled, warping the beams with her might. The door along with the bars gave ways and Gloria got out of the cell.

"The others should join us here soon enough. And they'll probably bring your Pokemon. We searched the upper floors and didn't find them so they have to be on one of the lower floors. We're not leaving until we retrieved them so you have nothing to worry about", Oleana said.

Rose nodded his assent and Gloria thanked them. They stayed to guard the prisoners. A moment later, the others joined them there. Piers thanked them, hugged Gloria and returned her belt and Pokeballs. She was glad to be reunited with her husband and her pokemon. But four more people attacked them. Two men and two women.

"I'll take care of this", Bede said as he sent out Calsandria, his female Gothitelle, that he called Callie for short.

"You take on these two clowns and I'll take on the other two", Hop replied as he sent out Soren, his male Corviknight.

Marnie was standing by the door with Kitia, her female Morpeko, and Marley, her female Scrafty. A few steps away, her brother was keeping a close eye on the prisoners, along with Ozzy, his male Obstagoon, and Tamaki, his male Malamar. Before long, the two men and the two women were defeated. Hop called his Pokemon back and gently pressed Bede's hand.

"What do you know? Not only are those people Dark-type lovers, but they're also goth lovers and fag lovers", Kyle said with disdain.

"Don't you dare talk about Piers, Gloria, Bede and Hop like that! You don't get to talk about my friends like that, you bigot!", said Sordward angrily.

Hop had to restrain Sordward to stop him from punching Kyle.

"Ignore him, Sordward. He's an idiot", Hop said before releasing Sorward.

A woman approached Piers with her hands raised up in a peaceful gesture.

"I'm sorry if some of my companions here have caused harm and have mistreated you and your friends. Not all of us are like that. Some of us want to quit and dismantle this group. An incident that happened recently made us realize that we were wrong. We tried to fix things, but I'm afraid that what happened will haunt us for the rest of our lives", said the young woman.

"What's your name?", Piers asked.

"I'm Jill... mister?", she started.

"Call me Piers", the goth young man replied.

He gave her time to get her emotions under control.

"How many Dark-types did you and your companions kill?", Piers asked.

"Two", she said in a broken voice, tears running down her cheeks and the shame visible on her face.

"Only two? Are you telling me the truth?", Piers said.

"Yes and yes. And I'm glad that some of my companions and I managed to prevent more loss of lives. I will follow you willingly. Just please help my friends", she said pleadingly.

"Very well, go get your friends who would willingly follow us and tell them we're here to help them. And while you're at it, if there are Dark-type Pokemon held captive here or Pokemon of any other type for that matter, bring them to me and I'll personally see to it that they are reunited with their trainers", Piers said.

She nodded, her eyes shining with gratitude, and left. When she came back with the other five former members of the group, the leader gave her an angry look and spat on the ground.

"Traitors! Dark-type Pokemon are evil, you have sides with the forces of evil!", he yelled.

"What's your name?", Piers asked.

"Why should I tell you anything?", Kyle replied.

"His name is Kyle", Jill said.

Kyle looked daggers at her, but she didn't back down, she only gave him a sad look.

"Well listen, Kyle. This is fucking stupid and bigoted. Most Dark-type Pokemon aren't evil and you don't get to blame all of them for the actions of the few. Dark-types aren't any more evil than say Gengar, Gorebyss, Hypno, Mereanie and many others. Most Dark-type are not evil and some non-Dark-types chose the way of evil and have done some bad things. What does being evil have to do with race or species? Nothing. And pople who think otherwise are bigoted and biased. Pokemon should not be judged based on species or typing, but on the content of their character, on their own individual actions and merits and on a case by case basis, just like humans. The Dark-type is NOT evil. No Pokemon or human is evil by birth and by default simply because of the race or species they were born into or some classification system others want to impose on them. Some people argue that Dark-types are "fighting dirty". "Fighting dirty" is just another way of fighting, you can fight dirty for justice. If you catch Dark-type Pokemon and then go save the world with a smile on your face, calling your team "Evil Pokemon" is demontrably stupid. Hell, let's look at some prominent Dark-types. Absol constantly tries to warn people about incoming natural disasters, but it gets ignored because some idios think there's an "Evil" type and Absol is in it. Sableye basically just lives in caves eating minerals and being benign, some stupid people THINK it steals souls though. Heck, how about the first discovered Dark-type, Umbreon, it's an evolution of Eevee based on happiness and friendship, it sweats a bit of poison and has glowy bits and that's it. What about Pangoro who is said to be kind-hearted and hates bullying? Does any of this loo "evil" to you? I'm not listing all of them but the Dark-type's basic schtick is that they're more animal except because they're labelled "Evil" type by some idiots, some people can't interact with them without losing their dang mind. Also, how does "fighting dirty" make them a candidate for "Evil" Type? Do some folks have that much of a hard-on for fighting with honor that anything that is even slightly pragmatic is immediately deemed as being pure evil? This is utterly ridiculous. If you don't fight dirty with some of the most cunning criminals, you will never win against them. Even some cops fight dirty sometimes to catch criminals, like setting up drug dealers and child molesters by posing as a drug addict or an underage person to lure these criminals somewhere where they can catch and arrest them. Fighting dirty is sometimes pragmatic and necessary and you can fight dirty for justice and for the greater good. So yeah, Dak-types are not inherently evil and neither are Dark-type users like Gloria, Marnie and myself", Piers said.

Jill and the other nodded. Kyle stopped struggling against his bonds, a look of defeat on his face.

Piers approached him.

"Come with us, Kyle, come with me. I'll help you, we'll help you. You'll find out you're not the only one who has issues. There are others and they can help you and support you as you walk the path of healing and rehabilitation. Two Pokemon died because of you. You don't want to make things worse for yourself and your companions, do you? It's okay to accept help. It's okay to ask for help. You don't have to do all of these things on your own. Our friend, Rose, here can tell you that. And take a lesson from the symbiotic relationship between Mantine and Remoraid. When a Mantyke is in contact with a Remoraid, he or she can successfully evolve into a Mantine. Mantine and Remoraid are clearly in a mutual symbiotic relationship, where both Pokemon mutually benefit from each other. So you see? It's okay to accept help", Piers told him.

Kyle didn't reply, but he seemed to be listening so Piers kept talking.

"You will be fed. You will have your own room. You will have a therapy Pokemon. You will be given a journal. You will be able to spend time with your Pokemon and care for them and others will help you care for them when you are overwhelmed. You will be able to participate in therapeutic outdoor activities like our camping trips in the Wild Area. And if you want to call a relative or a friend and even invite them to visit you, we can arrange something and give them a tour of the place. You will be treated humanely, your needs will be met and you will receive the help you need to get better and redeem yourself. I as well as some of my other "patients" will work on your rehabilitation exercises with you and help you do them correctly. Even when you do all this, you are by no means fully healed and to recover as much as you can, you must continue to work on your rehabilitation sometimes for years. But you will not be alone", Piers added.

"Come with us, Kyle", a woman named Angelina said.

"Take me with you if you want, I don't care anymore, I'm too tired to give a damn anymore", Kyle replied.

The next moment, Kyle was fast asleep and they couldn't rouse him, so they asked one of their strongest Pokemon to carry him. They brought him with them and his companions with him.

* * *

Once they were back home in Spikemuth, Piers had Kyle transported to the room he assigned to the young man and asked two of his friends, former Team Yell members, to stand guard at the door.

"Just in case. I don't think he's going to be aggressive, but better be safe than sorry. Also, we might want to make sure he cannot harm himself. Let him sleep. If he sleep and rest for a few hours he might be in a better mood when he wakes up. Also, when he wakes up and ask for me or ask for anything, send someone to get me", Piers said.

They nodded.

Piers joined the others in the kitchen. The Gym Leaders and Leon had dropped in for a visit. They were having a cup of coffee. Leon and Raihan smiled when they saw Hop and Bede holding hands and they did the same thing. Gloria kissed Piers' forehead and Rose tenderly pressed Oleana's hand. Bede got up to get snacks for everyone. He had a genuine and happy smile on his face. But his smile disappeared and he collapsed unconscious. They all looked very worried, especially Hop who looked really scared. Piers kneeled, took Bede's pulse, then felt Bede's forehead, and looked at Bede's flushed cheeks.

"He's alive and breathing, but has a high fever and if something isn't done soon, he might die", Piers said.

Rose ran out of the building and the others followed him.

"Wait! Rose, wait! What are you doing? Where are you going?", Piers said, grabbing Rose' arm to stop him from running.

Rose struggled and tried to free himself from Piers' grasp.

"By the time you call some doctor and have him take a flying taxi to get here and have him try to figure out what's wrong with Bede, my son will be dead! He's my son and I'm not gonna let that happen!", Rose said.

Rose kept struggling.

"There's only one way to help my son, to save his life!", Rose continued.

A flash of bright light illuminated the sky. Rose broke free from Piers' grasp. Rose ran and left Spikemuth, standing outside of the zone where there was no dynamax spot.

"Rose! What are you trying to do?", Raihan said.

"Oleana stayed behind to take care of Bede, but he needs you too!", Marnie added.

"Rose, what are you doing out here?", Gloria said.

Leon looked like he didn't know what to think anymore. Bea, Kabu and Nessa were wondering what was going on. Melony, Allister and Hop had stayed behind with Oleana and Bede.

"Rose, what do you hope to accomplish? What are you searching for?", Piers asked.

Rose seemed to finally have found what he was looking for. He fell on his knees, crawled and picked up the wishing stars.

"He's my son!", Rose cried in anguish.

He closed his hand around the wishing stars.

"You're supposed to make dreams come true and grant wishes! Save my son's life, heal him, wishing stars!", Rose said, tears running down his cheeks.

There was another flash of bright light, but a much bigger one this time. And this one came from one of Gloria's Pokeballs. Eternatus left his Dusk Ball and looked at Rose, levitating close by.

"Raviel?", Gloria said, calling Eternatus by the name she had given him ever since she caught him and soothed his anger and pain.

The Dragon Pokemon was staring at Rose.

 _"You!"_ , Raviel said angrily.

The others gasped, surprised. They hadn't expected something like telepathic communication.

"Is that pokemon gonna try to destroy the whole region and maybe even the entire world again?", Raihan said.

 _"Not likely! Not when I'm in the care of a good person like her!"_ , Raviel replied, pointing at Gloria with his paw.

The Dragon Pokemon looked at Rose again.

 _"It was HIS fault the Galar region was nearly destroyed"_ , Raviel growled, pointing at Rose.

Rose gulped.

"Please, explain", Raihan asked.

 _"Ah, yes, the Dragon-type Gym Leader. Gloria told me about you and about her Gym Challenge journey. She told me about the so-called treasure in your vault. Most of the story those tapestries tell is a lie and you don't even know it, young man"_ , Raviel replied.

"What? What are you talking about?", Raihan asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"What do you mean?", added Leon, horrified.

 _"You folks want to hear a story? Once upon a time there were bad, evil humans who thought it was acceptable to exploit Pokemon for personal gains and to mistreat, torture and abuse Pokemon who resist and fight back. One of those Pokemon was a Dragon-type, yours truly. He had a friend, a Jirachi who called herself Starlight. When these humans found out that Starlight could grant wishes, they tried to kidnap her and planned to exploit her for personal gains. Her Dragon-type friend facilitated and covered her escape. They decided to take out their rage on him. They also planned to exploit him for personal gains, they wanted to use him as a live battery to sell infinite energy and become rich. When he tried to resist, they covered him in chains and tortured him. The Dragon-type Pokemon's mind snapped and an explosion of negative and destructive energy pulsed from his body. He broke free from the chains and escaped. A vortex of red and black energy appeared in the sky. Pokemon in the area went berserk and dynamaxed out of control. The two kings and the two Legendary canidae Pokemon went after the Dragon-type Pokemon. They couldn't defeat him so they torn his body to pieces and of course, the two kings hadn't done anything about the humans who had exploited, tortured, abused and mistreated Pokemon. The Dragon-type Pokemon was portrayed as the villain and the kings as wonderful heroes"_ , Raviel said.

Gloria and Piers were hugging each other and crying silently.

"What happened after that?", Raihan asked.

 _"3000 years later, this man over there tried to exploit me for personal gains just like these other humans did during the times of the first Darkest Day which was triggered by the survival instinct, agony and trauma I experienced when I resisted my human abusers"_ , Raviel replied, pointing at Rose.

Rose looked horrified.

 _"That man couldn't overpower the Dragon-type Pokemon either. So he sent the former Champion to try and catch the Dragon-type Pokemon. But the former Champion failed to catch him. With the help of the two Legendary canidae Pokemon, Gloria battled him. The Dragon-type Pokemon had been defeated in battle and even in that state of trauma he had to recognize that Gloria was not only a strong trainer, but also a kind-hearted person with a heart of gold and that being caught by her wouldn't be so bad. She caught him and she soothed his anger and pain. As he healed and recovered, she gave him reasons to believe that not all humans are bad. She made him feel like he belonged, she and her Pokemon companions became family and home to him, she told him about her journey in Galar. She told him about her husband's "patients" and that some humans do change"_ , Raviel added.

"While we're here chit-chatting, my son is going to die!", Rose said, tears running down his cheeks.

 _"Yes, your son. You're so desperate to save his life that you wished upon wishing stars"_ , Raviel replied.

"Wait, there's one thing I need to know. Why wasn't I good and worthy enough to catch you? Why did I fail to calm you and help you like Gloria did? Why weren't we, my Pokemon companions and I, allowed to become family to you?", Leon asked.

 _"Weren't you trying to catch me for him?"_ , Raviel said.

"I wouldn't have let him...", Leon started.

 _"I know. Leon, failing to catch me says nothing about you as a person. We all have a part to play in the world and yours happened to be something else. Your part is just as important as everyone else's. You have just as much worth and value as the others. So don't make the mistake of thinking you're not good enough because nothing could be further from the truth. Also, trust Piers and Gloria with your issues, with fixing your past mistakes, with your healing journey. And that man you love, yes don't think I didn't notice how you look at him, just propose to him already. He obviously reciprocate your feelings so you have nothing to fear"_ , Raviel replied.

"Thank you", Leon said.

Raviel turned to Gloria and Piers.

 _"Thank you for everything you have done for me, for Pokemon, and for humans who want to change"_ , Raviel said.

Raviel communicated his message to all of them, but kept his eyes on Rose because his message was especially for Rose.

 _"As for you, your son will live and heal. Make sure you are there for him from now on. And don't forget to thank Piers and Gloria for everything they do for you. And now, I'm going to bring you all back home so you can be at his bedside"_ , Raviel added.

Raviel approached Gloria who hugged and craddled his head. Raviel nuzzled her hand affectionately. He pushed the button on her Pokeball and returned to his comfy home in his Dusk Ball. Then he teleported all of them back home.

* * *

Rose ran to Bede's room and the others followed him. He was immediately at his son's bedside, watching the wishing stars circling and flying around Bede, bathing the young man in bright white light. Then the wishing starts vanished and Bede opened his eyes.

"I'm healed", Bede murmured.

"Yes, you are", Rose replied with a smile.

"But how?", Bede asked.

"Raviel, who was formerly known as Eternatus. I'll tell you the whole story soon, but for now I think you need a meal and some fresh air, sitting outside or taking a little walk will do you much good. You are healed and your fever is gone, but you should still take things smooth for a little while", Rose replied.

Rose breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Raviel", Rose said.

"Yes, thank you", Bede added.

 _"You're most welcome"_ , Raviel replied to them telepathically.

Bede turned to Rose.

"Dad", said the young man.

Rose gave him a bright smile.

"Yes, I'm here, Bede. And so is Hop", Rose replied.

"Hop?", Bede said, turning to the other young man.

"Yes, I'm here too, Bede", Hop replied, his eyes full of love.

Hop tenderly pressed Bede's hand.

"Say Hop, when you have some free time on your hands, how about you join us Bede, Oleana and I, for dinner?", Rose said.

Bede looked at Hop who smiled happily.

"I'd like that", Hop replied.

"Bede would you like to bring your boyfriend to a family dinner?", Rose asked.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Bede nodded.

Gloria and Piers looked at each other and shared a smile. They were happy for Bede and Hop. So were Victor and Marnie who were hugging each other. And so were Leon and Raihan who were holding hands.

A few months later, they were celebrating a double wedding. Rose had married Oleana and Bede had married Hop. They and their friends were helping Leon and Raihan plan their wedding. They had also organized a birthday party for Piers. Slowly but surely they were all healing and recovering from the events of the last six or seven years. But they had each other, they had family and friends to help them when they needed it the most. They shared their joys and their sorrows and it meant a lot to them that they weren't alone and that they were all in this together.

Gloria and Piers were spending some time alone together.

"To see them happily married now is wonderful and their future is looking big, bright and beautiful", Gloria said.

"I couldn't agree more with you, my lovely wife", Piers replied, his eyes full of love.

"You helped them and brought them closer together, Piers. You also participated in organizing the weddings. You helped make that happen!", Gloria said.

"I'm glad I could make a difference in their lives for the better", Piers said.

They talked about their plans to visit Gloria's mom. They looked at each other for a moment before they let their lips meet, before Piers kissed Gloria tenderly, cupping her face with both hands. She returned the kiss.

"I love you, Gloria", he said.

"I love you too, Piers", she replied.

They were silent for a moment, enjoying each other's embrace and being thankful they were part of each other's lives.

\- End -

**Author's Note:**

> This awesome Piers guy did a lot of firsts.
> 
> First Gym Leader to not use the Leader Theme.  
> First Dark Gym Leader.  
> First Gym Leader to have a sibling who isn’t a twin or triplet who eventually takes over for them.  
> First Gym Leader in Galar to not use Dynamax.  
> First in line at Hot Topic.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading this fanfic as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'll let you know when part 5 of "My Sword & Shield headcanon" series is up.
> 
> Additional informations for part 4:
> 
> Therapy Pokemon:
> 
> https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/agkj9p/therapy_pokemon/
> 
> Journal therapy:
> 
> https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/journal-therapy
> 
> Grounding and deep breathing:
> 
> https://healthcareproviders.albertaquits.ca/files/file/5ccb29bc7d8fe/Grounding_Techniques.pdf
> 
> https://www.anxietycoach.com/breathingexercise.html


End file.
